


Drain You

by memefair



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2019-07-17 08:06:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16091498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/memefair/pseuds/memefair
Summary: Chiaki's life gets turned upside-down when a strange but beautiful woman visits her where she works.





	1. początek

It had been a slow night at work. It usually was. Being nocturnal had its benefits, and Chiaki never had to interact much with customers. If she did, they were often as dead inside as she was, there to spend a few hundred yen and then go without much conversation. She’d never been the type for small talk, so it suited her fine.

She only got about four hours of sleep a day between beta testing games and her part-time job, but at least the combination paid well enough.

Chiaki cracked open another can of Red Bull, rubbing her tired eyes and sighing as she leaned forward on the countertop. She was probably wiping away her concealer, but she didn’t care. It was already three hours into her shift, and she was ready to be done.

She lifted the can, taking a sip, letting the caffeine fall spread through her veins, a strangely calming sensation.

_ And mom said I wouldn’t be able to provide for myself if I didn’t go to college,  _ Chiaki thought wryly.  _ Well, jokes on you, mom. I can afford a cup of ramen and two snacks a day. That’s all I need. _

The door opened. Chiaki glanced up, gently placing the can on the countertop where the condensation began to pool beneath. She yawned, head drooping.

The door swung shut. Chiaki hadn’t managed to catch a glimpse of whoever had wandered in, but that was typical. They’d likely been blocked out by the shelves, quickly shuffling to the side, in the half-mummified state that she’d expect of someone at about 3 in the morning.

Time passed. She didn’t think about the customer again, until a voice spoke up, rousing her from her dreary state.

“ _ Przepraszam? _ ”

Chiaki’s response was automatic.

“Excuse me?”

What language even was that?

She tilted her face up, expecting to see a lost and confused foreigner. It happened, sometimes. Usually American, but not always. She’d once helped direct an old Vietnamese woman to the university her granddaughter went to, in order to witness her graduation.

Instead, she was greeted with the visage of an angel. Pale, porcelain skin, long hair that billowed out behind the woman like streams of pure sunlight, and pale blue eyes that peered at her, concerned, perfect pout of a mouth aligned in a frown. With a start, Chiaki realized the woman in front of her couldn’t be more than a few years her senior. Not a woman, then… just a girl.

A girl in a very strange outfit, as if she’d come straight from a convention. Overly elaborate and European in design, it would have suited a queen a century before, but here in this Japanese convenience store it looked out of place.

Chiaki’s mouth hung open.

_ A cosplayer, maybe? _

“I am sorry,” the girl said, now in almost flawless Japanese. “I forgot myself. I am… lost, you see. I am looking for…  _ Budynek _ ? No, a… building, I believe. It will be run by a man named Togami Byakuya-san.”

Chiaki continued to stare as the girl spoke. After a few moments she became conscious enough to shut her mouth, but it was a hard-fought and hard-won victory. She still couldn’t take her eyes off the foreigner’s face.

“That’s, um…” Chiaki deliberated for a few moments. “Just a moment.” She turned, trying to get herself in order.

That name sounded vaguely familiar. They were the richest people in Japan, weren’t they? Headed up by the prodigy himself, Togami Byakuya.

Hunched over, she furiously pawed at the screen of her phone.  _ And Hinata-kun said I didn’t need a smart phone,  _ she thought triumphantly.  _ This’ll show him…! I think. _

About two minutes later, Chiaki whirled back around, sheepish smile plastered on her face. “I have directions,” she announced, pleased with herself. “Do you want me to write them down for you? They’re a bit long.”

“No, I am certain I will remember them.”

At that, Chiaki could only blink.  _ I wish I could be so confident in my memory.  _ Well, she supposed she  _ could _ , but she’d be wrong.

There was only one thing she was certain of: She wasn’t going to forget this girl’s face, even if the girl forgot her. It seemed likely, given how utterly average Chiaki considered her own appearance, particularly in her work uniform. Round face, round body, hair that she couldn’t seem to tame no matter how she tried… Not  _ ugly _ , but unremarkable, easily forgotten.

When her friend Hinata bemoaned his own average appearance, Chiaki was always quick to point out that he at least fell on the good-looking side of the average spectrum. This almost always spawned an argument, until they got tired of debating it and went back to whatever game they were playing at the moment.

Chiaki listed out the directions slowly, in careful and deliberate language so the other girl could understand her. There were a few street names she did end up writing out, so the stranger at her counter could match the kanji on the street signs with the language Chiaki had given her.

When it was over, the girl thanked her in stiff, overly formal language. Chiaki just nodded, and she was about to bid farewell when the girl spoke further, once again prompting a stunned silence.

“If you would, before I go-- can you explain to me the purpose of this establishment?”

_ What? _

“It’s... a convenience store,” Chiaki stuttered out. “You… come here to buy snacks and cigarettes and other stuff. You know… for your convenience.”

“I… see.” The girl’s response was slow, as if she didn’t quite understand but didn’t wish to ask further questions. “Well, thank you for your time, miss…?”

“...Nanami. Nanami Chiaki.”

“Thank you for your time, Nanami Chiaki-san. I apologize for my rudeness. I must be going, as I fear I am already rather late.”

After she departed, Chiaki kept her eyes on the doors, as if expecting her to come back. She didn’t know why. A girl like that wouldn’t pay any attention to her, in any other situation.

_ I forgot to ask for her name,  _ she realized.

An hour later, she had another strange visitor.

This one, a grizzled man, perhaps about 40 or 50 years old. At least he was Japanese, and she had no trouble exchanging information with him. There was a scar on his forehead, and his eyes were a dull gray, almost lifeless. He carried a large black bag with him. What it contained, Chiaki couldn’t tell.

He asked: “Have you seen a European woman? Tall, long blonde hair, blue eyes?”

She answered: “Yeah… Do you know her?”

The man scowled, leaning forward on the counter. He thrust a pack of gum down on the counter, along with a pack of pocky. Strange taste, for someone his age, but Chiaki rung him up without questioning.

“You could say that,” the man told her. “Do you happen to know where she went?”

Chiaki felt uneasy, but she had no concrete reason to lie. “She… went to the Togami headquarters,” she said, furrowing her brow. “About an hour ago… She’s there by now… Probably.”

The man nodded his head. He accepted his change from her, gathered up his purchases, and turned around. “Thank you, miss.”

With that, he exited. Chiaki was left with two puzzling encounters that she couldn’t get out of her head the rest of the night, into morning when she was finally dismissed from her post.

She promptly went home and crashed. It was eight in the morning when her cat woke her up, kneading her belly with paws and claws.

Chiaki groaned. “Mue-chan,” she grumbled, rolling over. “I know… I’ll feed you, just gimme a sec…”

By then, the girl and the strange man had left her head. She clambered out of bed, sighing as she made the trek over to the kitchenette in her apartment. All the while, Shenmue III followed, meowing impatiently for his breakfast, orange tail flagging behind him.

She deposited the can of wet food into his bowl. The big tabby went to town, munching away as Chiaki took a seat on the couch, a can of Street Fighter energy drink in hand. She popped the top, sinking into the cushions.

With a push of a button on the remote, the TV was on. She flipped through the channels, only half awake, waiting for something to catch her interest.

And there it was-- the man from last night.

Dead.

Chiaki stopped browsing at that moment, sitting bolt upright, reading the headline over and over again to make sure she’d read it correctly.

Apparently, around 6 AM, his mangled corpse had been found in front of the Togami headquarters. He’d been torn to pieces, just enough of him left to identify his body. The culprit was nowhere to be found.

The police were stumped.

“We think wild dogs must have gotten to the body before we did,” said one man, scratching his head. The discomfort on his face was evident. “That’s the only explanation. We’re waiting on an autopsy before we proceed any further with the investigation.”

“What…?” Chiaki mouthed, her eyes boring into the screen.

Was this her fault, somehow? Had she sent that man to his death unknowingly? If she had lied, would he still be alive?

Shivering, Chiaki waited, watching until the topic turned to something less macabre. She turned the TV off then and pulled her legs up onto the couch, lying down, head swarming with accusing thoughts.

_ I couldn’t have known,  _ she told herself.  _ I can’t blame myself for this… There’s no way I could have known. _

Her energy drink forgotten, she stayed there until she found the motivation to move again, melancholy and regret seeping into her and leaving her rooted in place.

_ What does this have to do with that girl, though…? _


	2. spotkania

Togami sipped his tea callously, a feat achievable only by the heir of the Togami conglomerate. He could make the simplest of movements cold and clinical, striking with surgical precision.

“I apologize for the mess, Byakuya,” she stated in English, a language that was coming to her more naturally at the moment than the language spoken in this country. Her long sleep had left her rather worn, though she was starting to perk up, having had a warm meal prior to this meeting. “I was simply trying to make an example.”

His gaze was scalding. “I understand that,” came Togami’s clipped tone. “But did it have to be in front of  _ my _ headquarters, Sonia?”

“It is taking me quite some time to reorient myself,” Sonia explained. “The world has changed… much, since I was last awake.”

Togami adjusted his glasses, letting out a weary sigh. “I can understand taking a few years off to recover your energy,” he stated, “but an entire century is simply a waste. I don’t recall you being this foolish.”

_ You were supposed to wake me,  _ Sonia thought, irate.

Despite his criticisms, she could tell some part of him was relieved at her return, even if he refused to admit it. Their history was nothing to be sneezed at, Sonia believed. If their bond were any lesser, she would have already been removed from the premises, at the very least. The Togami in front of her was downright kind, compared to previous instances.

“Everything was changing,” Sonia said flatly.

She could still remember the acrid stench of smoke and cooked flesh, hanging in the air like a miasma of pure death. Once, she had been in line for the throne. After that incident, she had gone into hiding. Novoselic would need an heir. They couldn’t let the hunters stand in the way of that, no matter what.

Even if it meant she had to be separated from her family, her country, everything she lived for.

“You say my parents did not survive the fall,” she continued. “What of my brother? Has there been any word from him?”

“He’s taken a rather cushy position in Istanbul, last I heard,” Togami commented.

Sonia’s brow furrowed. She adjusted her grip on the cup in her hand, noting that it was shaking. Even here, she knew she needed to show no weakness. That was simply how it had to be.

“Istanbul?” she questioned.

“Constantinople,” he replied.

There was a pause. “I… see,” Sonia said slowly, still trying to process what Togami had just told her. “It seems… I have missed a lot, in the time that I was asleep.”

Including the death of her parents and many of their servants, human or not. The former she would have expected-- humans did not live long, after all. A century was a lifetime to them.

Her family, however…

Apparently, once word got out that their ichor had restorative properties, it became rather commonplace to hunt them. The “hunters” may have spread word that their kind were  _ evil _ and  _ dangerous _ , but in truth, many of them attempted to live alongside their human counterparts as peacefully as possible.

Which, admittedly, was rather difficult. While humans desired their blood in order to prolong their lives, Sonia’s kind required the blood of humans and other living creatures simply to exist. They could be placated with supplements, but human blood was the purest form of sustenance.

The humans had created a name for them, along with a place in their mythos.

_ Vampire _ .

“You’ll need new clothes,” Togami cut in. He put his teacup-- which once contained a cocktail of human blood and tea-- to the side, standing. “I’ll send for my tailor.”

Sonia nodded, hands folded in her lap.

“I’m afraid our time here has come to an end. I have to meet with my PR director, in order to explain the…  _ incident _ … that occurred earlier.”

“Again, Byakuya, I am very sorry. I am afraid I lost my temper.”

“It no longer matters why you did it. All that matters is that it will be dealt with,” he shot back, caustic to the end, not caring that he was the one who had failed her.

Or so Sonia thought, given that it had been his duty to awaken her at an appropriate time. They would have to discuss the matter further, eventually. For now, she understood that he was rather busy, thanks to her.

“...thank you for your assistance.” Sonia’s voice was soft. “I will be more careful in the future.”

* * *

“Naegi-kun, did you watch the news this morning?”

From his position on the floor, Naegi glanced up. He’d been rifling through a text book, clearly not too excited with the prospect of reading it.

Chiaki couldn’t really blame him. She’d only gotten through high school with the help of Hinata Hajime, who’d been her tutor before he was her friend, and the constant encouragement of Naegi Makoto, whose main shining quality was his optimism. Without them, she’d likely have dropped out, the prospect of classwork never really appealing to her.

“No. Why?” He reached over to the cup beside him, fumbling for the straw with his mouth for a few seconds before he finally latched on and took a sip.

“Um… It’s kind of a long story.”

Naegi was in his first year of college now, so he was often busy. But she’d managed to bribe him with fast food, showing up at his apartment with an offering of McDonalds. Chiaki had known exactly when to strike, now that his mother was out of the picture and wasn’t around to make him dinner.

“Oh. Well in that case, nevermind.”

Chiaki threw a fry at him.

He laughed. “I’m kidding, senpai! I’m kidding.”

Her cheeks puffed out. “I told you to stop calling me that… We’re not in high school anymore.”

“Sorry… it’s just habit.” He’d only graduated high school recently. He hadn’t quite gotten out of the mindset yet. “Go on, Nanami-san. What happened?”

She reached over to grab another handful of fries from the bag next to her. Naegi, meanwhile, had already plucked the fry she threw at him off the floor, debating whether he wanted to eat it or not. It had landed in between the pages of his book, so after a few seconds of consideration, it went into his mouth.

“I had my usual shift at the convenience store yesterday,” Chiaki explained. “This really pretty foreign girl came in and asked me how to get to the Togami headquarters… so I told her. And then later this other guy came in, asked if I’d seen her, and then asked where she went. So… I told him. And then apparently he was killed at the headquarters not long afterwards… like, it was really brutal… I think.”

Naegi stopped chewing. He swallowed his mouthful and took another sip of his soda. “What did she look like?” His expression had changed, but Chiaki thought it was just a coincidence, like maybe something had gotten lodged in his throat.

“Um… tall. Really long blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin… and she was wearing this… weird, overly elaborate Victorian dress. I thought she might be a cosplayer, but not anything from a video game, because… I would have recognized it… probably.”

Now his expression had  _ definitely _ changed. It couldn’t be a trick of the light. He’d stopped everything, a look of dawning horror crossing over his face, straw hanging out of his mouth in almost comical fashion. He’d been chewing on it, and now he was still as a statue, not budging an inch.

“That’s…” The straw fell out of his mouth. “...Sonia Nevermind…? I didn’t think the rumors were…”

Then he saw the way Chiaki was looking at him, and Naegi quickly backtracked.

“I-it’s nothing! Just… some wild stories, Nanami-san.” He laughed, trying to cover up the grimace that had contorted his face just moments before. “Just, um… y’know… Maybe you should stay away from her?”

“Why?” Chiaki was stumped. “She seemed nice enough.”

“I-I can’t tell you.” He was panicking, closing up, even though Chiaki badly wanted to know more. He couldn’t tell her, she thought… or maybe he didn’t know himself? It was strange.

_ Very _ strange.

Chiaki had a sick feeling in her gut. When she’d watched the news broadcast, she hadn’t thought the girl could be connected to the murder itself. Now she had to wonder, if somehow she’d gotten herself involved in something gruesome. The yakuza, maybe? But… the girl was European, she thought, at least from her accent. Some other kind of mafia?

And how was Naegi connected? What did he know that she didn’t?

“Look,” Naegi pleaded. “Everything’s probably fine, right? I doubt you’re ever going to see her again. But… if she does come back…”

Chiaki sighed. “I’ll stay away from her,” she promised.

“Just to be safe,” Naegi agreed.

Little did he know that she had her fingers crossed behind her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ


	3. pytania

Despite the promise she made to Naegi, Chiaki thought she’d never see that girl again. There wasn’t any reason for somebody with such high connections to return to a run-of-the-mill convenience store located in an otherwise quiet Tokyo burough, after all.

Fortunately for her, stories rarely end right after the first meeting.

It was three days later, at 4 in the morning precisely, when the doors to the convenience store slid open again. It was Chiaki’s first time back since she’d first encountered the mysterious girl, and she was starting to lose hope… and doze off.

So she didn’t notice _her_ presence until she spoke.

“Excuse me,” came that golden voice from the other end of the room.

Chiaki lifted her head, blinking blearily at the figure that stood across from her. She almost didn’t recognize her; the girl’s hair was styled sleekly, her wardrobe updated to a much more modern, but still feminine appearance, a closed parasol held in her manicured hands.

“I am… uncertain of this entrance,” Sonia stated, gazing warily around her. Something about her attitude, not just her attire, seemed different. Then again, Chiaki had never been the best at reading people. “Would you explain it to me, perhaps? Is there a pulley or a lever system at work?”

Chiaki stared. For a moment she thought, _I’m too tired for this_.

“...it senses movement,” she explained, her voice weary. Naegi had told her to stay away from this strange woman, but what was she supposed to do? She was at work. She couldn’t exactly tell her to leave. “That’s all I know… I don’t know how it works. Sorry.”

Sonia’s eyes widened briefly. “You mean to tell me you are surrounded by this level of technology and you are not the slightest bit curious how it works?”

The accusation, though well-mannered, caught Chiaki off guard. She’d never even really _considered_ it. To be called out by someone who seemed as if they were from another era was… awkward.

It was awkward enough that Chiaki forgot herself long enough to make an offer she normally wouldn’t.

“I’ll Google it,” Chiaki said, “then we’ll both know… maybe.”

“You will… what? I am afraid I do not know that word…”

Somehow, this didn’t throw Chiaki off in the slightest. This girl had never seen automatic doors before, so of course she didn’t know what Google was. It only made sense in the flow of how ridiculous this entire conversation had been so far.

“I’ll look it up on my phone,” she explained patiently, feeling rather like she was having an out of body moment. She was watching herself go through these motions, well aware that she should have further questions, and yet… she couldn’t stop herself.

“Ah, I see! Much like how you investigated Byakuya’s current whereabouts, yes?”

_I feel like I’m in a video game,_ Chiaki grumbled to herself, _but it’s one of the really boring parts where they time skip with something like “You talked about sliding door mechanics for the next hour”..._

And so, they talked about sliding door mechanics for the next hour.

By the end, the sun was coming up and Chiaki thought she _almost_ understood it. Her head hurt, and Sonia had taken to explaining it to her rather than the other way around for the past half hour-- but she’d gotten it. Sort of. They’d gotten off track several times as Chiaki had to explain several other pieces of technology to the clueless foreigner peering over her shoulder.

Yet, for some reason, she didn’t feel as if it had been a waste of time.

Still, Chiaki was tired, yawning as she tried to keep her head up. Sonia finally took notice, her blue eyes darting up as she observed the orange glow on the horizon.

“Oh, dear,” she murmured. “I have kept you for too long, Nanami-san.”

_She remembered my name? Wait--_

The words burst out of her mouth before she could stop them. “You never told me _your_ name…!”

Though, she sort of already knew it, Chiaki thought, reflecting guiltily on the conversation she’d had with Naegi not that long ago. But she could hardly mention that now, given the warning her friend had given her. No matter how badly she wanted to know Sonia’s true identity, she wasn’t going to bring up that she’d been told to stay away.

Sonia’s hand flew to her mouth. “Goodness!” she exclaimed. “You are correct! Please forgive me for being so rude!”

_You, rude?_ She was the most polite person Chiaki had ever met.

Sonia extended her hand. Chiaki took it, and was startled by how cold it was. _And here I thought it was kind of warm in here,_ she considered, rather dazed. But the revelation of Sonia’s body temperature was nothing compared to how the other girl dipped low and brought her lips to Chiaki’s knuckles, just barely grazing them before she straightened herself out again.

“My name is Sonia Nevermind. I am--”

Amidst the haze and the blush steadily rising to her head, Chiaki observed that Sonia seemed to bite her tongue at that moment, grief briefly crossing her beautiful face.

“--a childhood friend of Byakuya,” Sonia continued, regaining her composure so quickly that Chiaki thought she must have imagined it. “I am from… the southern part of Poland. You must forgive my manners, Nanami-san, for I am… not used to the customs of this country, as of yet.”

Chiaki couldn’t stop thinking about how Sonia had kissed her hand. She could still feel that faint sensation there, if she thought about it hard enough. Nobody had ever treated her with such grace and kindness before. Far from it, in fact.

“...of course,” Chiaki mumbled, certain that her face had turned crimson by now. “It’s… not a big deal… I think.”

Sonia clasped her hands in delight. “Then you will not be bothered if I should return?”

_I better tell her now,_ Chiaki thought to herself. _I better tell her… I might get in trouble if I’m caught socializing this much, and I have a job to do… and then I won’t be breaking my promise to Naegi-kun._

Instead, and Chiaki cursed herself as she did so, she said, “Of course not.”

The smile on Sonia’s face was positively dazzling. “Wonderful!” she crowed. “I am afraid I must take my leave now, but I will be certain to visit you again, Nanami-san!”

Chiaki watched her go, the Polish ( _is that really where she’s from?_ Chiaki wondered) girl whirling on her heels, her dress swishing around her as she headed towards the doors. Before she exited, she opened her parasol. She left with it shielding her from the rising sun, Chiaki unable to make out all the intricate patterns in the lace on the cover.

She was still thinking about it by the time she got home.

She badly wanted to call Naegi and ask him who or what Sonia was, but as she collapsed into bed, she surrendered to thoughts of the other girl’s cold touch and the gentle perfume that surrounded her. Her attention only briefly drifted to Shenmue III as he curled up against her back, and then she was drifting off, dreaming of a princess from a faraway land who kissed the hand of even the most common shopkeeper.

_There’s no way,_ Chiaki thought fuzzily. _She must… be like that with everyone… There’s no way she thinks I’m special..._

Her cat vibrated happily against her side as she fell asleep.

Elsewhere, as Sonia looked over the listings for nearby houses that Byakuya had given her, she puzzled over the young Japanese woman who had been so kind and patient with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i rise from the dead to appease the masses (see: all eight of you, not including liz) with more gay vampire fic


	4. Wyjście

It was rare for Sonia to be out in the daylight.

Actually, Chiaki thought, contemplating as she listlessly stared out the window of the convenience store, she’d never seen the other girl out during the day. It was always after the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the land in an orange light before disappearing promptly.

She’d only ever seen Sonia as she sparkled beneath the moonlight, her hair like the moon itself, picking up light cast upon it and shining even more beautifully than the sun itself.

Of course, Chiaki wasn’t much of a daywalker herself. Her shifts were almost always evening shifts, so she encountered Sonia rather frequently. She’d purchase candy or some small knick-knack while she was there, then stay and talk for at least an hour.

On this particular evening, Chiaki expected to see her when the door slid open, her dull expression immediately perking up. But instead her gaze rested upon another familiar face, his green eyes crinkling as he smiled sheepishly at her.

“Hey,” Hinata said, raising a hand in slight greeting.

“...hey.” Her voice was quiet, almost inaudible. “You’re not usually out this late.” She couldn’t hide her disappointment, and she winced as he, too, recognized it. She could tell simply from his posture, the way his shoulders slumped slightly, how he suddenly looked much older than his true years.

“I’m out of food,” he admitted. “I’m just grabbing some things to tide me over for a few days.”

“Okay.” Chiaki offered him a small smile. “Just let me know when you’re ready to check out.”

“Okay.”

The silence in the store became palpable. Chiaki glanced down at her phone.  _ 9:33 PM.  _ Was Sonia coming today? Would she be here soon, or was this one of the nights where she failed to appear, for reasons she never explained?

She began mindlessly ringing people out as they approached the counter. She didn’t even look at them, preoccupied as she was. When it was Hinata’s turn, she began swiping his items without even addressing him. She hadn’t noticed he was there. He’d been forgotten.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking around the store. When she offered him the bag, he took it without complaint, and turned to leave.

With a moment’s hesitation, he stopped.

“Are you okay?” he asked abruptly, shrewd as ever.

“I’m fine,” Chiaki replied automatically, far too quick for the response to be genuine. She once again noticed the curve of his shoulders downward, the way the light in his eyes died, disappointment clear on his face.

He opened his mouth to say something else. Then, quietly, sadly, he turned away from her.

Chiaki watched him go. Her fingers curled around her phone, suddenly tense, her mouth dry.

From behind, Sonia said: “He wishes to apologize to you.”

Chiaki whirled, her phone clattering to the ground. She took a few steps back in shock, backing into the counter. With her tongue heavy in her mouth, all she could say was, “What?”

Sonia’s gaze was full of soft sympathy, her words meant to be placating. Once they left her lips, though, they burned like hellfire inside Chiaki’s ribcage.

“For the fight you two had,” she told Chiaki quietly, “the week before your graduation.”

All of the color drained from Chiaki’s face. Her heart dropped into her stomach. Faced with a raw, unexpected confrontation, she could think of nothing to say, nothing to do. She was frozen there, deer in headlights, her entire body turning to ice as a painful lump formed in her throat.

_ “You can do it!” Hinata insisted, arms outspread, gesturing emphatically. “I’ll be there to help you! We’re a team, right?” She noted the raise in his voice that only happened when he was upset or flustered, and knew she’d caught him by surprise with this conversation. _

_ Chiaki shook her head furiously.  _ No, no, no, _ she wanted to say.  _ I can’t. I can’t. There’s no way. I barely made it through high school. I can’t make it through university. There’s no way. I’m not going to drag you down with me. All I’m good for is video games...

_ But that wasn’t what she said. _

_ “I don’t want your help anymore,” she croaked out. _

_ He looked as if she’d slapped him. _

_ “So you’re just going to give up,” Hinata stated flatly. “You know what’s gonna happen, right?” The sudden edge in his voice was harsh, as he instinctively lashed out. “Who’s gonna hire you? Are you just planning on coasting on tournament money your entire life? Living with your parents?” _

_ Chiaki immediately spat out, “No!” in protest. _

_ “Then what are you going to do!?” he pushed her. “You can’t keep going like this! You can’t live off this kind of life! It’s irresponsible! It’s--” _

_ “None of your business,” she interjected coldly, her hands balling up into fists. “It’s absolutely… none of your business. So just  _ leave me alone _.” _

_ With that, she’d stormed out. _

And now, Chiaki did the same, running away with her tail between her legs.

She headed straight for the bathroom, her heart pounding, acid rising up to scald her throat.  _ How does she know about that?  _ The door slammed shut behind her, and she made a beeline straight for a stall, bending over the toilet as she stared into the water below.

Her first thought was,  _ I thought Shizuka-san was supposed to clean this. _

Her second thought:  _ That didn’t just happen. _

It immediately soothed the ache in her chest, as she began to distance herself from the memory.  _ Yeah… that’s right. I must have heard her wrong. I’m totally overreacting.  _ A comfortable numbness spread through her body.  _ Or she knows him… or something.  _ After all, Naegi had known about her, right?

There was an anxious call from outside the bathroom.

“Nanami-san?” Sonia called, knocking politely as if she was uncertain she could enter. “Are you… alright? Did I say something wrong?”

Things had been… weird, with Hinata, since the fight. They never talked about it. They tried to carry on as if it had never happened, but the distance between them grew greater as Hinata threw himself into his studies.

Chiaki didn’t like to think about it.

She calmed her shaking hands, flushed the toilet, and emerged to wash up. The cold water rushing to cleanse her helped center her as well. She closed her eyes, breathing in and out, forcing herself to relax.

_ Everything is fine. _ She’d lie to herself until it became reality.

Sonia was immediately at her side once she exited, hovering around her nervously.

“I am sorry,” she apologized, wringing her hands out. “I did not mean to upset you, Nanami-san.”

Chiaki exhaled, once more.

“It’s okay. I just had to use the bathroom,” she lied.

Sonia fixed her with a look that said she didn’t buy that excuse for a moment. Chiaki swallowed, and continued back to the counter, where someone was waiting impatiently to purchase their goods. She apologized to the, rung them up, and tried not to mind too much when they grumbled about lack of service on their way out.

Chiaki sorted out the bills and coins.

“I simply felt how much you two care for each other,” Sonia continued, as if they hadn’t been interrupted, “and wished to… help, if I could.”

Chiaki slammed the register shut.

“Sonia-san.”

“...yes?”

“Please leave.”

_ You are no longer welcome in this building. _

Sonia drew back like she’d been struck, aquamarine eyes going wide with horror. Without a word, and as if she was being compelled, she hurried out of the store, her skirts rustling around her, shoes clacking against the hard surface.

Chiaki simply breathed.

Then she buried her face in her hands, pushing her fingers through her bangs, feeling how hot her eyes grew behind her lids.

_ I’m so stupid. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHATS UP IM ALIVE
> 
> i really hope i can muster up another update after this one bc this is NOT a good place to end the fic on

**Author's Note:**

> hey i have NO IDEA if i'm gonna finish this, or even continue it within a reasonable amount of time. this is entirely liz's fault for making me want this.


End file.
